Opinions on Cavallo Ganimedes?

[hoser1]

I'm having a heck of a time finding a dressage coat that fits me because I am really small - 5'1" and very petite. I swim in almost everything I have tried. I am considering the Cavallo Ganimedes because it is much shorter than the traditional dressage coat and claims to elongate the leg. What are your thoughts on this coat - I seem to recall a thread about it a while back but can't find it now. Love/hate it? Anybody ride in it?

[Mary in Area 1]

I guess someone must like it, because they have sold. However, I haven't met anyone that thought they were attractive. The do look OK on really tiny, skinny people, so you may be in luck. I just think they are ODD.

[mjhco]

A friend of mine is also tiny -- 5'2" and very thin and fit. A regular coat overwhelms her. She bought this coat last summer. It looks great on her. You can actually see there is a person under all that black.

[SillyHorse]

A lot of people really hate this coat. There is a gal in our area who wears one -- like mjhco's friend (who knows, maybe it is mjhco's frind since we don't know where mjhco lives :lol: ) she is tiny and looks great in it.

[nhwr]

I think they are cool on the right person :cool:

But as someone who is 5'8ish with long legs, a short body and 165 lbs (hey I am fit), I'd never buy one. :no:

[neVar]

i've actually sold to quite a few different body parts.

I would say that if you got some pooch in the tummy- not a great jacket- but then a shad won't flatter either. IMO like a shad it seems to look good on most. . i prefer it over a regular dressage coat- which IMO is just not the most flattering look.

Love the jacket- but i'm not thin enough to fit in it- But looks great on so many body typs (But then i don't think i look good in any hunt coat/dressage coat/shad at this point so that's why i wouldn't like it on me). IT's my reward when i loose enough weight :)

[carolprudm]

LOL, I don't have to worry about it but I suspect a shad would make me look like Severus Snape

[Daatje]

I have one. And I'm 5'9", 140 lbs. It looks quite flattering. I like it, but I have gotten mixed feelings from instructors/other competitors. Some feel it looks too much like a Shad, and that it can be seen as too dressy for the lower levels.

I also have a regular dressage coat, which is long, and gets in my way. :) I'm always sitting on it!

The breeches I'm wearing that day will determine which coat I wear. The Ganimedes requires a high waisted pant, otherwise it looks sloppy as you can see the waist band and bottom of the tucked in shirt.

If I'm wearing my low rise Kerrits sit-tights, I wear my longer, regular dressage coat.

I like having both kinds. Gives me options. :)

[PFMJ]

I love mine and have gotten lots of compliments on it, even comments on turnout on the occasional test. I've had a hard time finding coats to fit because in most things (regular clothes) I'm either a 0 or a 00, so that was one factor for me. I'm pretty average as far as being tall--5'5" but I do have long legs, and with the high waisted breeches it works for me.

[HollysHobbies]

I was considering buying one, but is this a YR coat (meaning, really, for the trendy, under 30 crowd?)

I'm 5'10" and 131 lbs, so tall and really skinny...is this coat going to make me look like a beanpole? (Ok, wait, more of a beanpole) Other dressage coats just SWIM on me, but I don't want to drop $300 on one and look terrible!

Any photos of it actually being RIDDEN in would be awesome. Thanks all!!

[BaroqueLady]

I tried this coat on at Lexington last weekend and just loved how it
fit me. I am 5'3" and 100 lbs . The $450 price tag put me off BUT
Dressage Extensions has them on a closeout for $299!! I just bought
one...the size 8 . They run very small so call and the nice folks will
help you. Good luck!!

[scubed]

A friend of mine who is about 5'1" and tiny wears it all the time and it looks great on her. She has the navy one

[bort84]

I don't love the Ganimedes coat, but if you like it, go for it. It's just a little non traditional = ) Judges tend not to care about these things, and if you try it, the overall look may be even better than you expected. It does seem judges are often receptive to an obvious effort to improve turnout.

Pikeur also has some short coat options that look a bit more traditional but don't come down as far on the hip. I know some shorter posters on here have them and quite like them.

[Pommederue]

I don't have one but I've seen several people show in them. I think they look great! Go for it.

[hoser1]

Had to chuckle when I saw this old thread I started resurrected. Right now I'm 5 months pregnant and the thought of squeezing into a Ganimedes is pretty funny! BTW, I didn't wind up getting a Ganimedes but have seen them on some people who wear them well. I found a used Pytchley at the tack exchange that was little and fit the bill. Smartpack is now marketing a Pikeur coat called the Epsom which looks like it would work for shorter ladies - it's 4 button but has 2 back vents if you don't mind that.

[Tiligsmom]

Its the perfect coat for small riders! Here's a pic of me and my boy. I'm 5'2" and I have to have my other coats tailored so they don't swallow me. This is the only one that I didn't have to do any alterations with! Go for it!

[HollysHobbies]

Looks great on you TiligsMom! Yes, had to resurrect the thread "hoser"...it was a goodie. Congrats on the wee one!

I'm really thin (so regular coats swallow me if I get one that's long enough in the sleeve for me... and I wind up looking frumpy), but I'm not petite (5-10").

Anyone get any positive or negative comments at shows with them?

[TMPF]

I love the one that my Trainer wears (see my profile picture of her on my horse). It looks great on small trim people. Of course that leaves me out of wearing one.

[OneFineMess]

how does the cavallo sizing (Diana) compare to this coat?